Sonic Strikethrough
by Jojita Joestar
Summary: The Freedom Fighters encounter a stranger from another dimension as evil gradually unravels their war-torn world.


Once upon a time in a war-torn world between the warriors of light and darkness, there was a sign.

Sally Acorn, co-leader of the rebellious, anti-authoritarian "Freedom Fighters", had again sensed some underlying evil lurking about the background of a starless night. _Something doesn't feel right_, she tells herself as she turns over in her bed, the persistent issue of trust among friends lingering about the quiet atmosphere. _Not just friends_, she corrects herself, abandoning the warmth of her blankets and lighting a candle, _allies_. Because she knew better as a leader never to get overly-personal, in spite of her slight reluctance to accept the fact.

It was an uneventful past few days for the gang. No noise from Doctor Robotnik, fascistic intellectual ruler of Mobius and arch-nemesis of the Freedom Fighters, nor any word from Sonic the Hedgehog, the adventurous speedster who shared leadership with Princess Acorn but came and disappeared as he went. Tails the Fox was as per usual particularly sidetracked by whatever scientific thingamajig he'd managed to construct whilst everyone else Sally could think of remained static like youthful prey. So with this active paranoia, she slid the window open, stepped onto the rooftop and placed her candle down. Then she seated herself on its cold surface and brought her knees up to her shoulders as a crow began to eye her ominously.

It stood on the branch of a tall tree, not so far away. It was red-eyed, full-grown and wore an expression as scared as she was. And that particularly bothered Sally. She wandered outside to relish in the comfort of nature, not to cower as crow's prey. Yes, Miss Acorn _never_ liked crows, because they always seemed to signify danger. However, seconds passed, the creature flapped its wings, and alone she was again. Yet she felt no better than she had before.

Sally knew things were too quiet to celebrate the Fighters' last standoff against Robotnik's soldiers. To a certain extent, everyone did. That warlord never quit in his schemes for domination - the fighters had learned as much in the preceding years. She also knew Sonic's lust for justice had become both a blessing and a curse; a blessing due to his ability to recognize right from wrong and equip his powers for the greater mankind, and a curse due to his inability to sacrifice lives. Moreover, he was growing impatient with the war, going off on his own to subdue soldiers and rescue citizens like he was Mobius' very own crowned white knight. Sally, of course, didn't _dislike_ what he was doing, but she didn't like him taking action on his own either. Sonic didn't seem to grasp the concept of co-leadership, no less the importance of communication between allies, between _friends_.

_There you go again_, Sally reminds herself. It shouldn't be personal, but it is. She's not only concerned for Sonic's well-being due to his alliance with the Fighters. She could only lie to herself for so long, same as anyone else — same as everyone too broken to tell how they _really_ feel. Because Sonic was Sally's friend, sometimes lover and savior; not only had she felt she owed some of her happiest memories to the blue blur, she also owed her life to him, as he had owed his own to her. Warmates and more the pair was with an unmelting bond that stood the test of time. So even as they grew older, Sally told herself things would never _truly_ change. They couldn't.

Right?

If she was being honest, she didn't know. And _fuck_, she didn't want to think about it anymore. So Sally shook her head at the forest's scenery, pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from her shirt pocket and ignited one. Then she did nothing but stand there, smoking, waiting for something that wouldn't come. It was beautiful. As of late, Sally was growing more content with the comfort of isolation. She found it was necessary to sometimes be alone in the midst of a war, just for calmness' sake. Now, she knew she shouldn't have been smoking, and she certainly wouldn't want the others to see her like this, but at the moment she hadn't a care in the world.

"It's pathetic, I know." She spoke aloud, unaccustomed to nobody listening.

So for an hour or so, she continued on down this peaceful, destructive path before returning to her bed to sleep. Nobody noticed her leave, and nobody noticed her return. And that was either an indication of how nonsensically ignorant her group was or how stealthily refined Sally herself was. Disregarding that, she ended up dreaming about her past life in a castle, heir to the throne and whatnot as the night passed and the next day came anew.


End file.
